Ladder-type solid-wood two-layer floor product and method

ABSTRACT

A ladder-type solid-wood two-layer floor product and related methods are provided. The floor product includes a floor support main body layer and an upper decorative surface layer. The main body layer is formed by splicing two parallel frames and a group of strip-shaped solid-wood cores parallel to each other and perpendicular to the frames. The floor product has a simple structure and high economic value. It avoids bending, deformation and the like from internal stress due to temperature and humidity variations.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/547,984, filed on Nov. 19, 2014, which claims priority to Chineseutility model patent no. CN203569853U, filed Nov. 19, 2013, the entiredisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The inventive concept relates to the field of wooden flooring products,and particularly to specific solid-wood floor structure systems andrelated methods of use and manufacture.

BACKGROUND

Solid-wood flooring products are becoming increasingly popular.Production of solid-wood products, including flooring, is limited byenvironmentally friendly timber harvesting practices. To ease the burdenplaced on forests of the world, the prior art teaches that many woodenproducts, including flooring, can be made from compressed sawdust orother imitation wood materials. Some disadvantages of the prior artcompressed sawdust, especially when used in flooring products, includeshrinkage and/or expansion due to changes in temperature and/orhumidity. Flooring plates are particularly susceptible to deformationand separation of layers under use and over time.

SUMMARY

The inventive concept overcomes various disadvantages of the prior art.Additionally, the inventive concept is a simple structure and provideshigh economic value. It reduces or eliminates bending, shrinkage,expansion, deformation and the like from internal stress, and mayimprove the buckling deformation or anti-twist deformation performanceswhen in use, particularly in dry, humid or highly temperature-variantenvironments. Moreover, due to its use of environmentally-friendly,economically sound, reliable and various material resources, theinventive concept is more aligned with the ecological protectionrequirements of society.

One object of the general inventive concept is to provide a ladder-typesolid-wood two-layer floor product. The floor product includes a floorsupport main body layer and an upper decorative surface layer affixed tothe top of the main body layer. The main body layer includes twosolid-wood frame components arranged in parallel to one another. Themain body layer also includes two or more strip-shaped solid-wood coresdisposed between the two frame components. The cores are all arrangedparallel to one another and perpendicular to the frame components. Thecores are attached to the frame at each end. When arranged flat, thesurface layer is affixed to the top of the main body layer.

In some embodiments, the thickness (top to bottom) of the frame is thesame as the thickness of the core. In some embodiments, the upper faceof the frame lies in a singular common plane with the upper face of thecores. In some embodiments, the cores are arranged at substantiallyequal intervals with an empty space between each adjacent core. In someembodiments, the interval between cores is 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm. In someembodiments, the wood grain of the cores is aligned with the wood grainof the frame and arranged in a vertical direction. In some embodiments,the thickness of the frame is 0.8 cm to 1.5 cm.

Another object of the general inventive concept is to provide a methodof manufacturing the floor product described herein. The method includesassembling the floor support main body layer and affixing an upperdecorative surface layer to the top side of the main body layer.Assembling the main body layer includes positioning two solid-wood framecomponents in parallel to one another with a space between them,inserting two or more strip-shaped solid-wood cores in the space betweenthe two solid-wood frame components (with the cores being arrangedperpendicular to the frames), and attaching each end of the cores to theframes pieces.

Another object of the general inventive concept is to provide a methodof using the floor product described herein. The method includespositioning the floor product (as described herein) on top of a floorsubstrate and affixing the floor product in position on top of a floorsubstrate. In some embodiments, the method further includes cutting thefloor product to match the size and shape of the floor substrate, atleast in part. In some embodiments, the method further includespositioning a second piece of floor product on top of the floorsubstrate and adjacent to the previously used floor product and affixingthe second floor product in position on top of the floor substrate.

The foregoing and other objects are intended to be illustrative of thegeneral inventive concept and are not meant in a limiting sense. Manypossible embodiments of the general inventive concept may be made andwill be readily evident upon a study of the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawings. Furthermore, various features andsubcombinations of general inventive concept may be employed withoutreference to other features and subcombinations. Other objects andadvantages of the general inventive concept will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the general inventive concept are set forth herein andare shown in the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a floor without the upper decorative surfacelayer.

FIG. 2 is a sectional diagram of the floor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description references the accompanying drawingsthat illustrate specific embodiments in which the general inventiveconcept can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describeaspects of the general inventive concept in sufficient detail to enablethose skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodimentscan be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scopeof the present invention. The following detailed description is,therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

In this description, references to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or“embodiments” mean that the feature or features being referred to areincluded in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separatereferences to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “embodiments” inthis description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and arealso not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. Forexample, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment mayalso be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included.Thus, the present technology can include a variety of combinationsand/or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

With respect to the Figures, a ladder-type solid-wood two-layer floorproduct is provided. The floor product is made of a floor support mainbody layer and an upper decorative surface layer (shown as 1 in FIG. 2)affixed to the top of the main body layer. A top view of the main bodylayer (without the upper decorative surface layer) is shown in FIG. 1. Across-sectional diagram of the floor product is shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main body layer includes two solid-wood framecomponents 2. Each frame 2 has a long axis and they are disposedparallel to one another with a space between them. The main body layeralso includes a plurality of strip-shaped solid-wood cores 3 disposedbetween the two solid-wood frame components 2. Each core 3 has two endsand a long axis extending between the two ends. The long axis of eachcore 3 is arranged in parallel to the long axes of each other core 3 andeach core long axis is disposed perpendicular to the long axes of thetwo solid-wood frame components 2. The ends of each core 3 are affixedto the frames 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper decorative surface layer 1 is affixed tothe top of the main body layer. The frame components 2 and cores 3 havea thickness as measured from the bottom to the top. As shown in FIG. 2,the thickness of the frames 2 and cores 3 are substantially the same asone another. In some embodiments, the thickness of the frames 2 is inthe range of 0.8 centimeters to 1.5 centimeters. As shown in FIG. 2, theframes 2 and cores 3 have an upper face in contact with the upperdecorative surface layer 1. The upper face of the frames 2 and cores 3are aligned on a single, common plane.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cores 3 are arranged at substantially equalintervals with an empty space between each adjacent core 3. In somepreferred embodiments, the intervals are in the range of 1.5 centimetersto 2.5 centimeters.

According to some embodiments, the frame components 2 and cores 3 eachhave a general wood grain direction. Preferably, the direction of therespective wood grains of the frames 2 and cores 3 are all aligned withone another. More preferably, the wood grains are aligned in a verticaldirection (vertical with respect to FIG. 2).

In general, a ladder-type solid-wood two-layer floor is provided. Thefloor product includes a floor support main body layer and an upperdecorative surface layer. The floor support main body layer is formed bysplicing two parallel frames and a group of strip-shaped solid-woodcores perpendicular to the frames and fixed between the two frames.

The thickness of each of the strip-shaped solid-wood cores is the sameas that of each of the frames, and the upper end faces of thestrip-shaped solid-wood cores and the frames are in a same plane duringsplicing.

The strip-shaped solid-wood cores are arranged at equal intervals, andeach of the intervals is set as 1.5-2.5 cm.

The direction of wood grains of the frames is perpendicular to thedirection of wood grains of the strip-shaped solid-wood cores. Thethickness of each of the frames is 0.8-1.5 cm.

During the specific implementation of the inventive concept shown in theFigures, the wood plate mainly includes a plurality of strip-shapedsolid-wood cores 3 and frames 2 fixed on two sides of the plurality ofstrip-shaped solid-wood cores 3, and the cores and the frames arecombined by arranging their wood grains vertical and compressing andgluing. The arrangement combination of the frames and the strip-shapedsolid-wood cores 3 of inner cores employs crisscrossing technology.Specifically, the inner cores consists of a plurality of strip-shapedsolid-wood cores 3 arranged transversely, the frames 2 on two sides arelongitudinally fixed on side faces of the plurality of strip-shapedsolid-wood cores 3, and then the upper decorative surface layer 1 isassembled to form the floor.

As the plate provided by the present invention is designed as a laddertype structure, the inner cores consisting of the strip-shapedsolid-wood cores 3 are arranged in a cavity formed by the frames 2, andthe strip-shaped solid-wood cores 3 forming the inner cores are of atransversely arranged structure while the frames 2 are of a longitudinalstructure, so that the arrangement combination of the frames 2 and thestrip-shaped solid-wood cores 3 of the inner cores employs crisscrossingtechnology. Thus, the stresses in the arranged frames and on the surfaceor the external layer of the whole plates may be balanced, and it isadvantageous to avoid bending deformation and the like resulted frominternal stress.

In addition, as the inner cores consists of a plurality of strip-shapedsolid-wood cores 3 arranged transversely, when the wood plates areassembled into a floor, the transverse structure may improve bucklingdeformation or anti-twist deformation performances when in use,particularly in dry, humid or terrestrial heat supply environments.

In addition, during material selection, the plurality of strip-shapedsolid-wood cores 3 and the frames 2 are both made of fast-growingtimbers, so the inventive concept has environmental, economical, stableand multiple-choice material resources and is more aligned with theecological protection requirements of the society.

In addition, a two-layer structure is employed in this embodiment.Compared with other three-layer structures, the raw materials are saved,and the bending deformation of the surface layer and bottom layer of athree-layer structure due to different materials and thicknesses isavoided.

In addition, a two-layer structure is employed in this embodiment, sothe plurality of strip-shaped solid-wood cores 3 and the frames 2 arecompletely exposed outside, thereby avoiding adulteration andfalsification and making users more assured.

In other embodiments, a method of manufacturing the floor productdescribed above is provided. The method includes assembling the floorsupport main body layer and affixing an upper decorative surface layerto the top side of the main body layer. Assembling the main body layerincludes positioning two solid-wood frame components in parallel to oneanother with a space between them, inserting two or more strip-shapedsolid-wood cores in the space between the two solid-wood framecomponents (with the cores being arranged perpendicular to the frames),and attaching each end of the cores to the frames pieces.

In other embodiments, a method of using the floor product describedabove is provided. The method includes positioning the floor product (asdescribed herein) on top of a floor substrate and affixing the floorproduct in position on top of a floor substrate. In some embodiments,the method further includes cutting the floor product to match the sizeand shape of the floor substrate, at least in part. In some embodiments,the method further includes positioning a second piece of floor producton top of the floor substrate and adjacent to the previously used floorproduct and affixing the second floor product in position on top of thefloor substrate.

While the present general inventive concept has been shown in thedrawings and fully described above with particularity and detail inconnection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical andpreferred embodiment(s) of the invention, it will be apparent to thoseof ordinary skill in the art that many modifications thereof may be madewithout departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein,including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape,form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. Hence, theproper scope of the present general inventive concept should bedetermined only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims soas to encompass all such modifications as well as all relationshipsequivalent to those illustrated in the drawings and described in thespecification.

Finally, it will be appreciated that the purpose of the annexed Abstractis to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the publicgenerally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners inthe art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology,to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence ofthe technical disclosure of the application. Accordingly, the Abstractis neither intended to define the invention or the application, whichonly is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as tothe scope of the invention in any way.

What is claimed is:
 1. A ladder-type solid-wood two-layer floor product,comprising: a floor support main body layer, wherein the main body layercomprises: two solid-wood frame components, each having a long axisdisposed parallel to the long axis of the other; a plurality ofstrip-shaped solid-wood cores disposed between said two solid-wood framecomponents, each core having a first end, a second end, and a long axisextending between the first and second ends, the long axis of each corebeing disposed parallel to the long axes of each other core and eachcore long axis disposed perpendicular to the long axes of the twosolid-wood frame components, and each first end of each core beingaffixed to a first of said two solid-wood frame components, and eachsecond end of each core being affixed to a second of said two solid-woodframe components; and an upper decorative surface layer affixed to themain body layer.
 2. The floor product according to claim 1, wherein eachof the two solid-wood frame components has a thickness and each of theplurality of strip-shaped solid-wood cores has a thickness and thethickness of each of the two solid-wood frame components issubstantially the same as the thickness of each of the plurality ofstrip-shaped solid-wood cores.
 3. The floor product according to claim1, wherein each of the two solid-wood frame components has an upper faceand each of the plurality of strip-shaped solid-wood cores has an upperface, and the upper faces of the two solid-wood frame components lies onthe same plane as the upper faces of the plurality of strip-shapedsolid-wood cores.
 4. The floor product according to claim 1, wherein theplurality of strip-shaped solid-wood cores are arranged at substantiallyequal intervals with an empty space between each adjacent core.
 5. Thefloor product according to claim 4, wherein each of the substantiallyequal intervals is in the range of 1.5 centimeters to 2.5 centimeters.6. The floor product according to claim 1, wherein each of the twosolid-wood frame components has a wood grain in a general direction andeach of the plurality of strip-shaped solid-wood cores has a wood grainin a general direction.
 7. The floor product according to claim 6,wherein the general direction of the wood grain of each of the twosolid-wood frame components is in alignment with one another.
 8. Thefloor product according to claim 6, wherein the general direction of thewood grain of each of the strip-shaped solid-wood cores is in alignmentwith one another.
 9. The floor product according to claim 6, wherein thegeneral direction of the wood grain of each of the two solid-wood framecomponents is in alignment with the general direction of the wood grainof each of the strip-shaped solid-wood cores.
 10. The floor productaccording to claim 9, wherein the general direction of the wood grain isvertical, extending from a bottom side of the main body layer upwardtoward the upper decorative surface layer.
 11. The floor productaccording to claim 1, wherein each of the two solid-wood framecomponents has a thickness and the thickness of each of the frames is inthe range of 0.8 centimeters to 1.5 centimeters.
 12. A method ofmanufacturing a ladder-type solid-wood two-layer floor product, themethod comprising: assembling a floor support main body layer, whereinthe main body layer comprises: two solid-wood frame components, eachhaving a long axis disposed parallel to the long axis of the other; aplurality of strip-shaped solid-wood cores disposed between said twosolid-wood frame components, each core having a first end, a second end,and a long axis extending between the first and second ends, the longaxis of each core being disposed parallel to the long axes of each othercore and each core long axis disposed perpendicular to the long axes ofthe two solid-wood frame components; affixing each first end of eachcore to a first of said two solid-wood frame components; affixing eachsecond end of each core to a second of said two solid-wood framecomponents; and affixing an upper decorative surface layer to a top sideof the main body layer.
 13. A method of using the ladder-type solid-woodtwo-layer floor product of claim 1, the method comprising: positioningthe floor product of claim 1 on top of a floor substrate; and affixingthe floor product of claim 1 in position on top of a floor substrate.14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: cutting the floorproduct of claim 1 to match the size and shape of the floor substrate atleast in part.
 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:positioning a second floor product of claim 1 on top of the floorsubstrate and adjacent to the other floor product of claim 1; andaffixing the second floor product of claim 1 in position on top of thefloor substrate.